BJP's BS Yediyurappa takes oath as Karnataka chief minister for fourth time
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BS Yediyurappa was administered oath by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. He will have to prove the majority of his government in state Assembly by July 31.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yediyurappa on Friday took oath as the chief minister of Karnataka for the fourth time.
Yediyurappa was administered oath by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. He will have to prove the majority of his government in state Assembly by July 31.
Shortly before taking oath as chief minister of Karnataka, Yediyurappa addressed his party workers at the state BJP headquarters and thanked the party workers for their continued support. He also visited Kadumalleshwara Temple and offered prayers there.
Earlier in the day, state BJP leaders met the Governor and staked claim to form the government.
On Thursday, a Karnataka BJP delegation met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Working President JP Nadda to discuss the plan of action. Shah, thereafter, asked Yediyurappa to meet the Karnataka Governor and take oath as the chief minister at the earliest.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition government fell on Tuesday after losing the trust vote in Karnataka Assembly. Following the defeat, Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan, along with his cabinet ministers.
76-year-old Yediyurappa first took over as the chief minister of Karnataka in 2007, but could not hold on to the post for mere seven days after the JD(S) withdrew support and the President's rule was imposed in the state. He again made way to the coveted post in 2008 but again owing to corruption charges failed to complete a full term.
During his second term, he held the post from May 2008 to July 2011. He had to resign following the accusations of corruption charges in illegal land deregulation notification scam.
Thereafter in 2012, he formed a new party "Karnataka Praja Paksha" but rejoined the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which he got elected from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency.
In 2018, the BJP veteran again jostled his way to the top post in the state but could not rule the state more than a week as his party failed to garner a majority.
(With inputs from agencies)